Searching PDF on the web
By Don Lancaster                                                                   Version 3.2 February 14, 1998
Copyright c. 1998 by Don Lancaster and Synergetics, Box 809, Thatcher AZ, 85552
(520) 428-4073. synergetics@tinaja.com All commercial rights and all electronic media
rights are *fully* reserved. Linking welcome. Reposting is expressly forbidden.

Consulting services available.
Further support on www.tinaja.com/info01.html  


(The following is believed correct. Please report any errors or differing experiences.)

Searching PDF on the web
====================
Just a brief note on how to have your ISP provide a full Acrobat PDF search for all
of your online Acrobat files. This definitely can be done by installing an Adobe Ifilter into
the search system of Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0 However; the installation
constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. A mixed HTML and PDF search demo is here.

The first step is to get the IIS 4.0 search up and working normally on HTML and text files. 
The usual problems here are not getting the paths right for the needed htx, idq and htm files.
A second problem is using an include file and failing to provide the needed file in the same
directory. A "hidden" include file is provided in the Microsoft demo code; this must be
removed. Or otherwise explicitly provided for. The latest service pack must also be installed.

To gain a PDF search capability, an Ifilter plug-in has to be installed in the Microsoft
search machinery. To find this free plug in, go to http://www.adobe.com and search on
Ifilter. Be sure to download the latest readme files as well. The key secret that drives ISP's
up the wall appears to be this: When the Registry is modified, be sure there is one and only
one null ($00) between entries and two nulls at the end the entry list..

Searching Deja News for ifilter can lead you to current traffic in suitable newsgroups.
comp.text.pdf is quite useful here. Adobe offers 900 number support and $24 per-incident
support but apparently does not have the faintest clue about the null problem. Fee based
ISP field support "from the trenches" is available by emailing zeke@zekes.com.

The Ifilter installation is not for the faint of heart. We managed to accomplish it in a mere eight
months. A minimum number of animals and first born children were harmed in the process.
Possibly the clues given here can let you cut this time in half.

Copyright c. 1998 by Don Lancaster and Synergetics, Box 809, Thatcher AZ, 85552
(520) 428-4073. synergetics@tinaja.com All commercial rights and all electronic media
rights are *fully* reserved. Linking welcome. Reposting is expressly forbidden.

Consulting services available.
Further support on www.tinaja.com/info01.html  

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